James f



J. P. PARRISH.

BROOM.

No. 366,682. Patented July 19, 1887.

WmemJ by C66!) hngraphm: Wuhi UNITED STATES PATENT Grrrcs.

JAMES F. PARRISH, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK B. BRADLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

BROOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,682, dated July 19, 1887.

Application filed March 20, IFBG.

T aZZ 1071 0711, may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. PARRTSl-l, of Peoria, in the county of Peoria, in the State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Broom; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which like letters of reference refer to like parts, and in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of the broom; Fig. 2, aview on larger scale of month of empty head; Fig. 8, an opposite view of same or section in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, asectional view atrcx in Fig. 1, with corn removed; Fig. 5, asectional View at ya in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a sectional view of another way of securing together the edges of the two halves of the head.

This invention is in the line of brooms in which a hollow head is employed for holding the broom-corn and making the same fast to the handle; and my invention pertains,principally, to the construction of an improved head that shall be cheap, easily connected with the corn and handle, and durable in use.

The broom head which I have devised consists, essentially, *of two metallic shells, each substantially of the shape of an ordinary dustpan, which shells are adapted to be secured togetherat their edges after the butts of the broonreorn have been put between them.

In the drawings, It represents the broomcorn or brush portion of the broom; A A, the

two halves of the longitudinally-divided head, and H the handle.

The way in which I prefer to make the semiheads A is to form them of sheet metal in a shape somewhat elosel y resembling a dustpan, the main portion of each being substantially flat, with a rim formed about said flat portion, except at the edge where the corn is to enter. A represents this main flat part of each semi-head, and B the rim, formed all about said part A,except at the straight edge A The rim B of each of the semi-heads is widest at the upper or closed end of the head, and decreases gradually in width toward the lower or open end thereof, so that the entire head is in the form of a truncated wedge, the

thickest edge or douse of which is at the closed I head placed over the whole, and subjected to 100 Serial No. 195,929. (No model.)

end and the thinnest edge at the open end of the head.

To secure together the rims B after the broom-corn has been put in place between the two halves of the head, I prefer to have a flange, 13, extend around the edge of each rim B, through which flanges are the small holes 0. A row of similar holes also extends along the edge A of each semi-head. Through these holes 0, I run back and forth one or two wires of suflicient length and pliability, in effect sewing the flanges B together. At A" the wire passes through the broom-corn between them, and so securely holds the same at such points.

From each semi-head, and at relatively op posite sides thereof, project the flaps D,adapte(l to be bent about the handle II where it passe into the head, and to overlap each other to form a socket. Tacks E, driven through these flaps into the handle, and wire coiled about them, serve to fasten said flaps to the handle. The handle terminates in a wedge, L, formed integrally with or rigidly attached to it, and having a width considerably greater than the diameter of the handle, so that at the upper or thick end of the wedge it projects on either side beyond the handle, forming shoulders which assist in anchoring the butts of the broom-corn when the broom is completed. The converging sides of the wedge are preferably flat, as shown, and approximately parallel to the faces of the head A, and it is evident that when the parts of the broom are connected the wedge cooperates with the wedge shaped head to prevent the escape of the broom-corn. The form of head shown is itself much superior to that in which the flat sides are parallel, since the convergence of the sides of the head brings the greatest pressure on the broom-corn at the opening of the head, and permits the butts to expand. The use of the wedge, however, completes the expansion of the butts, and adds greatly to the security of the connection of the broom-corn and head.

In putting my broom together one semihead is first taken and half filled with corn. The handle His then laid in place thereon, the rest of the corn put on, the other semithe opposite semi-heads into contact.

sufficient pressure to force the flanges B of The semi-heads A being thus held firmly together, the flanges B are fastened to each other by the wire interlacings, as previously described, and the flaps D are bent around the handle and tacked and the wire wound more or less about them. The broom is now ready for use, and is, as is plain to see, not only simple, but strong and durable. There are other ways in which the semi-heads A can be secured together-as, for instance, by folding the flange of one rim about the flange of the other, as shown in'Fig. 6.

In Fig. 2 the dotted lines indicate the wire lacings orstitches which pass through the corn.

I am aware that prior to my invention brooms have been constructed with metallic heads for receiving the broom-corn, so that I do not broadly claim the same; but

What I do claim, and for which I desire Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

In a broom, a head formed of two separable parts, each part consisting of an approxi- 2 5 mately flat face, provided with a rim extending about its periphery, with the exception of one of its edges, said rim being narrowest next to said edge and increasing gradually in width toward the opposite edge, and said head,when 30 its parts are united, being a truncated wedge, thinnest at itsopen cud.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of March, 1886.

JAMES F. PARRISI-L "Witnesses:

A. B. UPIIAM, A. KEITHLEY. 

